1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of equipment used in prefabricating building elements for constructing a building, such as in prefabricating concrete building walls and modules. More specifically the present invention relates to a wall and rib form for forming a building wall having a rib protruding perpendicularly from a face of the wall along one wall edge such as to function as an overhang. The wall and rib form includes a form perimeter wall which is placed on a horizontal platform defining a form bottom wall, which is may be a slab but is preferably a tilting table having positioning plates welded to its upper surface between which the perimeter wall is fitted. The perimeter wall is preferably rectangular or square, and includes a rib forming segment along which the rib is to be formed which rises above the height of the rest of the perimeter wall to a height matching the desired concrete rib width, and defines a side wall of a rib forming overpour trough structure. The overpour trough structure includes a pivoting wall extending parallel with and spaced inwardly from the rib forming segment of the perimeter wall such that its longitudinal ends rest on the upper lateral edges of adjacent perimeter wall segments. The upright rib wall has one or more substantially perpendicular lever arms extending from its upper lateral edge across and pivotally mounted to the upper lateral edge of the rib forming segment of the perimeter wall with one or more hinges and extending outwardly from the perimeter wall. The rib forming segment is preferably angled from its upper lateral edge inwardly to its lower lateral end to miter the formed building wall rib. A lifter port is provided in the rib forming segment through which a lifter is fitted prior to the concrete pour to become embedded in the wall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been forms for pouring concrete walls, some of which have included protruding concrete ribs. A problem with these prior wall forms has been that the rib portion of the cured wall has been difficult to remove from the form.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a concrete wall and rib form which includes means for easy disengagement of a concrete rib formed as part of the wall.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a form which is easy to use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a form which is simple in construction, and made from common and inexpensive materials.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a form which is sturdy and reliable.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A wall and rib form is provided for forming a concrete building wall having a concrete rib protruding perpendicularly from a face of the wall along one wall edge, the form including a substantially horizontal platform having a platform upper surface defining a perimeter form bottom wall; a form perimeter wall on the platform surface defining a closed loop and having a rib forming segment along which the rib is to be formed which rises above the height of the remainder of the perimeter form side wall to the desired height of the concrete rib, and defines one wall of an overpour trough structure provided along the rib forming linear segment of the perimeter wall.
The horizontal platform is preferably a tilting table, and the form perimeter wall is preferably one of: rectangular and square. The overpour trough structure preferably includes a pivoting wall extending substantially parallel with and spaced inwardly from the rib forming segment of the perimeter wall so that the longitudinal ends of the pivoting wall rest on the upper lateral ends of adjacent segments of the perimeter wall, and includes at least one lever arm extending substantially perpendicularly from the pivoting wall across and pivotally mounted to the rib forming segment with hinges and extending outwardly from the perimeter wall.
The rib forming segment is angled from its upper lateral end inwardly to its lower lateral end to miter the concrete rib. The wall and rib form preferably additionally includes a lifter port in the rib forming segment and a lifter fitted into the lifter port prior to pouring of concrete into the form.